Vouchers, gold coins among ideas received for baby gift pack

SINGAPORE — More than 4,000 suggestions — including gold coins, milk powder and a year’s supply of diapers — have been received by the National Population and Talent Division, which is putting together a gift pack for Singaporean babies born next year.

Speaking at the second Jubilee Baby Gift Feedback Booth yesterday, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Grace Fu said the authorities will study these ideas and draw up a shortlist soon for the public to vote on. The first booth was set up at Jurong Point the previous weekend.

The Government had announced two weeks ago that all newborns next year will receive a gift pack to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Republic’s independence. A five-member advisory panel, chaired by Families for Life council member Anita Fam, will advise on the suitability of the items and design of the gift pack.

Biscuits, sweets and candy floss were given out yesterday to encourage shoppers at VivoCity to pen their gift ideas. Free kindergarten and childcare services, gift vouchers, gold coins and soft toys emerged as some of the more common suggestions.

Asked about concerns raised by some members of the public that the money used for the gift pack could be channelled into other uses, Ms Fu said the pack is not meant to alleviate the costs of raising a child.

“This is really a souvenir and a keepsake, something to celebrate the special year,” she said. “I don’t think we are going to devote large amounts of money towards this cause, so we are not looking at, for example, free education or childcare for the baby. That would continue to be something we pursue under our normal policy to encourage marriage and parenthood.”

Ms Fu, who oversees population issues, said the gift pack is not aimed at improving birth rates drastically. “But I think if together, collectively, we are sending a signal that having a baby is a wonderful thing to celebrate a family together ... I hope some parents will think about ... starting a family and encourage some to give it serious consideration,” she said.

Close to 10 items will be included in the gift pack and they should serve three purposes, said Ms Fu. For one, they could be practical items to be used in the day-to-day care of the baby, such as clothes. Other items should have a “celebratory element”, for instance, books or photo albums that could display the Singapore50 (SG50) motif.

Lastly, the items should have commemorative value — they should be something that could be kept for good. “Hopefully, when we celebrate SG100, the babies could open it up and say, I was one of the SG50 babies,” said Ms Fu.

Among the shoppers who visited the booth yesterday was retiree Chong Ailee, who suggested personalised lockets for the newborns. A locket would be permanent and remind the child of the significance of the gift, unlike money or exhaustible items that will be used up, said the 51-year-old.

Members of the public can submit their ideas for the Jubilee Baby Gift at http://heybaby.sg/jubilee until tomorrow. The suggestions will be collated in consultation with the advisory panel and the public will have a chance to vote for the shortlisted gift ideas between Friday and May 15.